Happy Wednesday!
This is the Community Caring Collaborative Weekly Communiqué where we share announcements about trainings, meetings and other events, including announcements from our collaborative partners. Look for links to meeting minutes and agendas in the Meetings section, training registration forms and flyers in the Events section, and job postings and other items of interest in the Announcements section. Subscribe here to get the Communiqué. Make sure to add Community Caring Collaborative to your contacts at claurel@cccmaine.org. Gmail users, check for the Communiqué under the Promotions tab. This mailing goes out every Wednesday, so if you have announcements, please send them to Christine by 5 pm Monday to be included. Thanks!
Photo above: Join the Work Group and Poverty Busters on November 1st for an extended brown bag lunch on sharing local resources. Read more in the Event Section below
Announcements
Active Bystander Intervention Training: The CCLC offered an active bystander training last summer. Some of you weren’t able to make it and wanted to be kept in the loop. Maine ACLU is hosting another training at the CCLC on Saturday October 28th 1:00-4:00 with Clara Porter of Prevention.Action.Change. Space is limited to 30 participants so don’t delay – Register here or you can contact Marena Blanchard Maine ACLU directly: mblanchard@aclumaine.org.
Your announcement could go here: email the details to Christine by 5 pm Monday for inclusion in Wednesday’s Weekly Communiqué.
Updates
This is where we post updates on programs, initiatives and pending legislation.
Hope Fund Conversation: On October 18th, the Hope Fund Committee invited providers to a conversation about using the Hope Fund when working with families. Feedback from providers about the application form generated a newly revised form that you can access here. The form has also been replaced on the Hope Fund page at the CCC website. During the conversation, notes were taken to create a Hope Fund FAQ that will be available in the near future on the Hope Fund page as a tool to provide more guidelines to providers about the application process.
Health & Safety Expo: The Thriving in Place Initiative of Washington County (TiP) held a health & 
safety-themed event on Saturday morning, October 21st, for folks over 50 at the Maine Veterans’ Home in Machias. Tables sporting exhibits from 14 organizations provided valuable resources that included a brown bag medication review by pharmacists from DECH and Hannaford, and the new TiP binder project coordinated by Angela Fochesato of Healthy Acadia and Tracy Parker of Community Health & Counseling Services (pictured). Visitors also shared their own “TiP tips” and 5 lucky winners received door prizes. Let us know if your organization would like to get involved in next year’s Expo.
Events
Now listed chronologically, so make sure to scroll down for items just added!
Sharing Local Resources Brown Bag: Join the CCC Work Group & Poverty Busters on November 1st for an extended brown bag lunch on local resources. Share updated info on services your organization offers and find out what other services are now available. We’ll be meeting at the Kay Parker Building in Machias from 12:30 to 3:30. Dig deep – we have 3 hours! Please RSVP to Christine if you plan to attend and share this flyer with your colleagues. Please bring 20 copies of any materials you wish to share – thank you!
MRBN 2017 Conference: Building Thriving Communities: Capitalizing on Evolving Science and Circumstance – the Maine Resilience Building Network and The Bingham Program present the 2nd Biennial Conference on November 2nd and 3rd at Point Lookout Resort, Northport, Maine. See flyer for details. Register here.
TCM & BHH Provider Training: Child Behavioral Health Services invites targeted case managers and behavioral health homes providers to a free system overview of the state’s behavioral health services on December 4th, from 9-4 at the Houlton DHHS Office. See flyer for details.
Needs & Offers
Mentor/Neighbor Program Update: Mentor/Neighbor program designers need your help sharing the link to
a survey they are building together with students from the UMM Research Methods class to ascertain what volunteer mentors can offer and what they need to be able to make that offer. Do you know any potential volunteer mentors? Can you think of any networks or listservs they may be a part of? Please send us the contact information for individuals or email groups/networks you think would include potential volunteer mentors – thanks for your help!
Needle Exchange in Machias: The Health Equity Alliance (HEAL), formerly Down East AIDS Network (DEAN), maintains a needle exchange at their local office on Tuesdays 3-6 and Fridays 10-1. HEAL also provides training along with naloxone and sponsors the annual Maine Harm Reduction conference. FMI: Katie Bragg, Case Manager/ Health Promotion Specialist, katie@mainehealthequity.org, 255-5849, 7 VIP Road, Machias, ME 04654, in the same building as Downeast Community Partners, or visit their website.
Legislation Survey: Maine Equal Justice Partners invites you to fill out a policy 
survey to help them assess how effective the legislative changes that did pass will be when it comes to reducing child poverty in Maine and to help them focus their energy in the years ahead on changes that will make the biggest difference in families’ lives.
Send us your agency/community needs or offers, such as job recruiting or housing needs.
Favorite Resources
Send us your favorite links to share with other Communique readers.
Meetings
Work Group & Poverty Busters: Read notes from the October meeting here. Next month we have an exciting change to our monthly meeting – join us for an extended brown bag lunch focusing on local resources. Read this flyer for details and please share with your colleagues. We’ll be meeting from 12:30 to 3:30 pm on November 1st at a different location than usual – the Kay Parker Building in Machias. RSVP if you can join us and remember to bring enough materials to share with the group (about 20).
St Croix Community Connections: This is Poverty Buster’s sister group in Calais, organized by Christine Morris. This group meets monthly – new members welcome!
Photo Courtesy of Susan Bennett